Predicting the North Carolina football state championship games

Read as we analyze each of the NCHSAA state championship games and predict the winners of each contest

Rolesville quarterback and Mercer commit Braden Atkinson will lead his team in the 4-A state championship game with Grimsley. / Braden Atkinson Hudl

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association will have four new state championship teams by the end of the day Saturday.

To say this an elite group of teams would be an understatement. Five of the eight finalists are undefeated and the other three have just four losses between them. That’s not surprising as the best teams tend to compete for state championships.

Here’s our take on four championships games.

Class 4-A

Rolesville (14-1) vs. Grimsley (15-0)

These teams played in the regular season and Grimsley took a 35-20 win. That was back in August and a lot can change.

Grimsley fell to eventual champion Weddington in last year’s semifinals. The Whirlies cleared that hurdle this year and are poised to run the table behind five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon, running back Mitchell Summers and others.

Brandon, the Tennessee commit, has been electric all season with 2,632 yards and 33 touchdowns through the air along with 588 yards and 8 touchdowns rushing. He has thrown just one interception.

Summers, with 2,207 yards and 45 touchdowns, leads a powerful ground game. The Whirlies have three solid receivers in Kaden Catoe, Hudson Cooper and 6-foot-6 tight end D.J. Howerton.

Bryce Davis, who has signed with Duke, leads a robust defense with 17 sacks.

Rolesville has more of an air raid type offense. Quarterback Braden Atkinson has been sensational, with 3,607 yards and 50 touchdowns against only 3 interceptions. 

Gavin Waddell, Jordan Alford and A.J. Roberts have combined for 37 touchdown catches. Devon Thomas and Amir Brown provide punch on the ground.

Summers gives Grimsley the edge.

WINNER: Grimsley

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Class 3-A

West Charlotte (12-2) vs. Seventy-First (15-0)

Quarterback Jamouri Nichols has been great as a dual threat for the Lions, who have won eight in a row. K.D. Cotton shines as a two-way player with 8 touchdown catches and 5 interceptions.

Sam Johnson and Kaden Smith have combined for 21 of the team’s 48 sacks while Davion Jones has 7 interceptions.

Seventy-First has bulldozed through its entire season after opening with a 35-28 win over Richmond. The Falcons feature three 1,000-yard rushers, including dual threat quarterback DeAndre Nance. Donovan Frederick and freshman Jayson Franklin are the other 1,000-yard runners. 

Nance can pass, too. He has thrown 18 touchdown passes without an interception.’

And the defense has 197 tackles for loss, with Hector Bautista and John Archer with 27 each.

WINNER: Seventy-First

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Class 2-A

Monroe (14-0) vs. Northeastern (15-0)

Monroe has an offense that averages over a first down per snap. That’s what you call potent. Leading the way is dual threat quarterback Kaegan Chambers, who has dazzled all season to the tune of 1,816 yards and 19 touchdowns with 2 interceptions through the air and 1,115 yards with 18 touchdowns rushing.

Running back Zion Lindsay has 925 yards and 19 touchdowns. Nymir Kendall has 840 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Then there’s two-way ace Jordan Young, who has 33 catches for 759 yards and 9 touchdowns, along with 7 interceptions. Young has signed with Michigan.

Northeastern has its own elite attack, led by quarterback Trevaris Jones, who has thrown for 3,745 yards and 42 touchdowns with only 3 interceptions. Jones also has 499 yards and 9 touchdowns rushing.

Tyell Saunders is an elite two-way player with 55 catches for 1,049 yards and 18 touchdowns, along with 5 interceptions.

Expect a high-scoring game.

WINNER: Monroe

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Class 1-A

Corvian Community (15-0) vs. Tarboro (13-1)

Corvian, a third-year program, has come a long way in a short period of time. The Cardinals knocked off two-time defending state champion Mount Airy along the way and that says a lot.

Leading the Cardinals is senior A.J. Jackson, Jr., who has an incredible season on both sides of the ball. Jackson has thrown for 1,491 yards and 18 touchdowns, rushed for 752 yards and 13 touchdowns and intercepted 6 passes.

Cameron Johnson has 1,436 yards and 25 touchdowns rushing plus 126 tackles. Adrian Scott, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound end, has 77 tackles and 14 sacks.

Tarboro is a perennial power that seems to play for a championship every year. The Vikings are ground-oriented, led by Kamerin McDowell-Moore, who has run for 1,394 yards and 17 touchdowns. Mason Satterfield has 1,006 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Cole Craddock, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior, is a talented linebacker/end and kicker.

WINNER: Tarboro